


Alone, We Fall

by Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky



Series: Medivh's Curse [1]
Category: Warcraft (2016)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Illness, M/M, Warcraft: The Beginning AU, canon level violence, mention of potential alcoholism (canon levels)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-29 10:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7681189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky/pseuds/Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two damaged men struggle:</p>
<p>  One is broken by death and betrayal. <br/>  The other is left debilitated after a fierce battle leaves him cursed. </p>
<p>  Alone they fall; but together they might find the strength to save themselves and each other...and maybe even the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alone, We Fall

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU. Movie verse canon is different than game canon. Even game canon changes with each expansion. That being said, I've tried to do research, but chalk up all canon and timeline discrepancies to this being an AU.
> 
> BTW...I am making no money from this and I do not own the characters

   * * * * *

 

 

    Khadgar's arms shook with fatigue, though his words rang out against the roar of the fel magic he sought to clear. Blue clashed with sickly green and for a moment, it looked like green would win. He pushed past his exhaustion and pain and gritted his teeth. With a final shouted word the blue encompassed the green, cleansing it and releasing it into the earth. He dropped to his knees; harsh gasps rasping in his throat and leaving it raw.

A form detached itself from the shadows. “I'd heard you were a mess.” Anduin knelt in front of the mage and grasped his face gently. “Let me see your eyes.”

Khadgar hadn't even realized he'd closed them, and he blinked against the light. He smiled wanly. “This conversation seems...a bit familiar.”

Anduin's gaze speared him, his mouth compressed into a thin line. With a nod, he looped Khadgar's arm over his shoulder and heaved him up. The mage's knees tried to buckle, but Anduin just tightened his grip and wrapped his other arm around Khadgar's waist. “Let's go. I should have known better than to leave you to your own devices.”

Khadgar tried to pull away. Tried, because Anduin's arm felt like a band of metal, and all he accomplished was receiving a baleful glare from the warrior. He still protested. “There's more that needs to be done!”  
  
“Then the damn Kirin Tor can get off their asses and do it!”

Khadgar hung his head. “They're claiming to study the problem, but I think they're just afraid of losing their own to the corruption.”  
  
Anduin had already begun to shuffle them towards the edge of the clearing where his gryphon waited. He paused between steps. “I know.” He shook his head and slanted a glance at his friend. “It doesn't mean you need to handle the problem alone.”  
  
The younger man used what little strength he had to dig in his heels. He knew Anduin could have kept them moving despite his attempts, but he stopped. Khadgar tried to explain, “I have to do something. I can't just sit by and watch fel destroy our world.”  
  
Lothar stared ahead. His jaw clenched and when he looked back at Khadgar, his eyes were sad. “I've lost too many that I trust and care about. Let me take you to Stormwind, and you can tackle the problem when you're better.”

Khadgar smiled softly, a shy tilt to his lips. Anduin continued to watch him, waiting for a response. When he nodded ever so slightly, the man got them moving again. A few minutes later, as they neared the warrior's mount, Khadgar felt the need to disclose, “I may never get better.”  
  
Anduin's body went still for a moment before he helped Khadgar climb into the saddle.

 

* * * * * *

 

_A few hours earlier_ :

 

A soldier, still travel worn and dusty, approached Queen Taria. “Queen Regent, I bear news out of Karazhan.”

Taria waved a page over to deliver a goblet of water to the exhausted man. “Please, refresh yourself and tell me your news.”

The young soldier, one Keron by name, drank gratefully. Turning his gaze back to his Queen he spoke. “The tower is still closed...” He trailed off, glancing at his Commander who stood off to the side.  
  
The Queen gently prodded, “And the lands surrounding Karazhan?”

“Destroyed, your Majesty. The land itself seems to be twisted and dying, the animals have all fled, and it seems to be attracting all manner of foul things.” Keron took a deep breath and steeled himself, eyes again darting to the formidable man guarding his sister. “The mage...he's been cursed, and he may be dying.”

At this, the Supreme Commander stood straight from his slouch against the wall. Taria gently questioned the soldier before her brother could speak. “Are you speaking of Khadgar?”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Can you explain what you mean by cursed?”

Keron nodded and swallowed heavily. “He's been ill...weak. It's been getting worse the longer we've been in Deadwind Pass...”

The Queen held up a hand. “Deadwind Pass? That's not a name I'm familiar with.”  
  
“Oh, I'm sorry your Majesty. It's what the soldiers have taken to calling the area now. We all call it that, and the name slipped out.”

“I understand. Please, continue.”

The soldier nervously went on, “We had a healer come through a few days ago and we urged him to take a look at the mage because he's been doing so poorly. Mage Khadgar, though, just smiled and told him to take care of the other's injuries. Later, the healer came back to him and the mage told him that there was nothing to be done for him. He said the Guardian had cursed him during the final minutes of their battle, and that curse was likely to take his life.”

Supreme Commander Lothar strode out of the room. The Queen Regent watched him go, and then thanked Keron for bringing the news. It was with a great deal of relief that you young man escaped the throne room. He'd lost the coin toss when the men had been told that someone needed to relay this information to the Queen. He was pretty sure he'd rather face an orc than royalty...or the Commander.

 

* * * * *

 

“You going to fall off?”

Khadgar was indignant. “No!”

Anduin shrugged. “Had to make sure.” He patted his mount and they launched into the air.

In flight, the devastation was clear. The damage was worse closest to the tower, but it spread outward like a cancer. The entire area had been corrupted, and even if he could remove all traces of fel energies, it was likely to be barren for centuries to come.   
  
Khadgar leaned over, trying to see the edges of it. He wanted to see how fast it was spreading and if his work on certain areas had stemmed the tide. He twisted to look to the other side when a hand clamped down on his wrist where he was pulling on Anduin's armor. The warrior was peering over his shoulder. “Are you _trying_ to fling us off this bird?”

“Sorry! I was trying to see how far this extends, and how the spots I've cleaned are affecting the area over-all.”

Anduin pulled Khadgar's hand from his cuirass and wrapped it around his waist. “Hold on!” With one hand on the reigns and one hand still clamped firmly on the mage's wrist, he banked hard. He took them along the sides of the mountain. When Khadgar pointed out spots, he'd fly them over. It allowed him to get a much better picture of what was happening to the land. He shouted through the wind, “Thank you!” With a nod, Anduin turned the gryphon towards his home.

 

 Normally after cleansing fel, Khadgar dragged himself to his bunk and slept. This time he got swept up to Stormwind where they were met by the Queen and a gaggle of healers, who were unleashed on him. He was exhausted and all he wanted was a bed. Yet here he was...being poked, prodded, questioned, potioned, and spelled. He was ready to teleport out of there and damn the consequences; which would probably be dire given his state.

Anduin had spent the entire time holding up a wall with his arms crossed. Now, though, he must have seen something on Khadgar's face and pushed through the healers. At their protest he smiled and told them, “Time for all good little bookworms to go to bed.”

Khadgar was pulled out the room and followed his friend. After the second flight of stairs he groaned and slid down the nearest wall. “I'll just sleep here.”

Anduin reached down and jerked him to his feet. “Walk, or get carried over my shoulder.”

The mage truly considered the carry option. He was too tired to feel shame, but he came to the conclusion that the leather shoulder guards the soldier wore probably would be uncomfortable jammed into his stomach. He waved his hand in a manner that suggested “lead on” and shuffled onward.

They walked to a section of the palace that looked way too nice for the likes of him. Even in his diminished state he knew that. Anduin opened a door and stopped for a moment. Khadgar swore he heard him mutter, “How does she do this?”, and then he was being pulled inside.

It was a spacious room and quite nice, though not lavish. Two beds were against the far wall, two plates of steaming food were sitting on an end table, and a stack of clothes were placed on the larger bed. Khadgar moved towards the smaller bed and found himself being swung towards the other. He was pushed into a sitting position and found a plate in his hands.

“My sister sees the need to take care of all of us, especially after... Especially after Llane.” He stuck a fork in Khadgar's food. “Eat. It'll make her happy.”

He'd managed about half the plate before it was gently taken out of his hands. He realized that he'd been staring at it numbly for a while without eating. Anduin pointed at the stack of clothes. “Those are for you, and they'll probably even fit.” He nodded at a door that Khadgar hadn't even noticed. “Bathroom.”

By the time he washed up and came out in some soft clothes winnowed out of the stack, the bed had been turned down. He climbed in and was asleep within moments. Anduin watched him for a few minutes before quietly opening the door and stepping into the hall. Taria came from her suite of rooms where she'd been waiting. “How is he?”

“As if the healers haven't told you.”

“I'd like to hear your opinion.”  
  
Anduin glared down at her.

Taria smiled. “You care ferociously for those you consider yours, and it was clear from the start that he fell into that category.” She grabbed his calloused hand in hers and squeezed. “You're spending too much time alone and with a flagon of mead.”

“Why my room?”

“You were going to bring him there anyway. This way you're not sleeping on the floor.” She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles in a soothing manner. “If you would like, I can have a room readied for him.”

Anduin pretended to consider it. “No. He'll just run off and get himself into trouble.”

She kissed his cheek. “As a Queen, I respect his power and honor him for what he's done. As a person, I find him sweet and intelligent. As your sister, I'm hoping that the two of you can help each other. You're lost, Anduin. We need you. _**I**_ need you.” His sister released his hand and retreated to her door. She looked at him steadily. “I don't care what the nature of your relationship is, whether you have just taken him under your wing or you see him as something more. Help him, but most importantly, allow yourself to heal. I think this might accomplish both.”   
  
With that she slipped inside her door and left him standing in the hall. What he wanted most was to go get a drink...but he had a kingdom to protect and a cursed mage to wrangle. He went back inside his room to get what sleep he could.

 


End file.
